The Susquehanna Writers, of which I’m an honorary member, have been reaching out to support area Indie bookstores.  We gave out gift baskets to two Indie bookstores this fall, and now we’re banding together for a group booksigning at the Midtown Scholar Bookstore in Harrisburg, PA, on December 19, 2009. A large group of authors will have books for sale and will autograph them for you. From romance to history, from mystery to self-help, from thrillers to YA; you’ll find something to please everyone on your holiday gift list. And if these books aren’t enough to entice you (though they certainly should be), the Midtown Scholar offers the largest array of rare and used books between New York and Chicago. They have more than ONE MILLION secondhand and out-of-print books in all fields.

Need a gift for that hard-to-please person? Consider a book. It’s a gift they’ll treasure for a lifetime.

If you want to know where and when to show up, here are the additional details:

3-5 pm, December 19, 2009

3401 N 6th St
Harrisburg, PA 17110
(717) 236-2665

And I’ll be there to sign copies of Rihanna and Summer Lovin‘. Feel free to drop by and get your copy signed if you already have one, or pick up some as gifts for the teens in your life.

Colie Sparks is nervous about this upcoming summer – she has to spend two months with her eccentric aunt Mira while her fitness-instructor mother tours the country teaching people about how to lose weight and get fit.  Upon arriving at Mira’s, Colie meets Norman, a teenage houseguest of Mira’s, and Morgan and Isabel, the girls who work at the local cafe where Colie ends up taking a summer job.  Although Colie has always felt shy and insecure about herself, this may finally be the summer for her to step out of her comfort zone, make her first true friends, and start to figure out who she really is.

What I love about Sarah Dessen’s book is that there’s always this aspect to them of the main character growing as a person.  Keeping the Moon is no exception.  Colie and her mom used to be very overweight, and even though they’ve lost it and now live healthy lives, Colie still feels ugly and sad inside.  She’s never really had any friends, no boy has ever been interested in her, and her own mother doesn’t spend a ton of time connecting with her.  So it’s difficult for her, at first, to adjust to the fact that people – Mira, Norman, Morgan, and Isabel – actually want to spend time getting to know her… and they actually seem to like her!

So, really, Keeping the Moon is about Colie’s journey to understand, accept, and even love herself when she never had before.  And I really, really liked it.  Colie felt real to me – I personally identified with so many aspects of her personality, and I was just hoping for her to find herself and appreciate the person she truly was.  As always, Dessen wrote superior supporting characters, and I loved getting to know them too.  Isabel was actually my favorite – even though she seemed hard and unfeeling at first, she was actually the person who had the most in common with Colie, and who ended up caring about her the most.  I loved where Dessen took Colie and Isabel’s friendship.

I honestly don’t think that I can say a bad thing about Sarah Dessen, just because I’m such a big fan of her work.  The good thing is that in the case of Keeping the Moon, I’m not even tempted to.  This is a sweet novel with wonderful characters and a great message for teen girls.  I’m so happy that I read it.

There have been some obvious suggestions, focusing mostly on more vampire titles: L.J. Smith’s Vampire Diaries, which has already begun to gather a Buffy-deprived generation of follows through the CW series; Richelle Mead’s Vampire Academy series; the Mother-Daughter Cast pairing with the House of Night books; Blood Coven, by Mari Mancusi; or the Melissa de la Cruz collection, Blue Bloods.

Many think the that the undead obsession will shift to werewolves and zombies next. While these creatures have grown in popularity amongst the adult and humor genres, it’s not a likely contender for this younger crowd. Because really, what’s sexy about kissing a hairy dog, or a walking carcass with a fetish for brains? Granted, I could be proven wrong with the fascinating Shiver title from Maggie Steifvater.

And still others believe the undead fixation will dwindle, and allow other fantasy worlds to emerge: angels (Fallen by Lauren Kate), steampunk (Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld), faeries (Wings by Aprilynne Pike), and the return of magic (Patterson’s latest YA, Witch & Wizard).

My opinion is less concerned with WHAT to read next. Instead, look at what these titles represent to YA readers. Many of these vamp-filled titles leave much to be desired (though I could personally claim the same for Ms. Meyer’s books as well), and just don’t do justice to some of the more advanced adult fiction selections. And just because Steampunk and Zombies have been huge for the adult fiction doesn’t mean the younger readers will follow the trend. However, none of that matters. What matters is what doors this ridiculous Twilight craze has opened to a generation of potential readers. I predict that after the teens finish the Twilight saga, they’re NOT going to follow the flock anymore. S.M. did more than begin the biggest underage cult fandom since Harry Potter; she blew down the door for fantasy and make-believe to be “cool” again. The days of hiding your book cover inside your backpack and under the lunch table are over! Because if the cheerleaders and jocks give you grief for your love of extra-terrestrial romance or medieval history adventures, ask them just how many times they went to see Edward and Bella on the big screen.

So while I believe pirates, faeries, and vampires are the trends to watch, the real “win” for publishing is that kids are reading, and reading with a vengeance!

*read more on these titles at theDailyBeast

Sadly, being British, I have no turkey-related festival this week. On the other hand, next week end I’m going to Copenhagen to poke at rune stones and drink mulled wine (in a yearly ritual with my dad and brother) so it’s not all bad.

I’m still jobless and PhD-less, although I still have hope – in the same way that someone clinging on to a precipice by their shredding fingernails as hope – but still hope. Four writing days left of NaNoWriMo, and I think I can get there. I’d be more on target if it weren’t for being woken up at 3 in the morning of Tuesday. Phone calls in the middle of the night are rarely good things, so when my mum called me at 3 in the morning at my dad’s house, I was pretty much paralysed with fear – especially when she asked me if I could get my dad to run her to hospital.

Anyway, it wasn’t a life-changing thing: she had a suspected pending detached retina which turned out to be a vitreous detachment. After all the fuss, bother and angst (not to mention looking after my mum’s cat-herding Border Collie), writing rather went out of the window.

Somewhere in the middle of this, I finished Sin by Sharon Page, which was very enjoyable, and reminded me that I haven’t read enough historical romances in a while.

I also read Gossip Girl: You Know You Love Me, in one of my forays into YA fiction. I like the TV series, I really do, although it’s not in my usual line of things (BtVS, Angel, West Wing, BSG, B5, and other geeky goodies). And I liked the first Gossip Girl book (in a I-can’t-read-to-many-of-these way), but this was unbearable. I had a real problem with the fact that I hated almost every character: I accept that most of us look back at our teenager years and cringe, but this seemed to take every facet of this and condense it. Almost without exception, the characters were selfish, spoilt, stupid and self-involved. As the narrator was one of them, there was nothing to cut through this, to give it narrative edge, to provide a contrasting view point. And without a character about whom I could honestly give a shit, there was no strong narrative thread. Instead, it read as a long litany of pointless, selfish, shallow episodes in which even the most sympathetic character was at best a puppet of circumstance. Even if this is a true record of the lives of the Upper East Side, it’s bad narrative.

At the other end of the scale, I’m about 100 pages into ‘The Quantum Rose’ by Catherine Asaro, a romantic science fiction novel (as opposed to sci fi romance or futuristic romance) which I can’t recommend highly enough. There is all the emotion and drama of soft sci fi, and the science which most hard sci fi only aspires too. In fact, I want to recommend this book to my brother, who’s a particle physicist (little brother ). The chapters and many of the concepts are based around quantum physical ideas (the author has a PhD in Chemical Physics). You can immerse yourself in this physics, or you can ignore it entirely, depending on what you want, but it forms a sci fi world which is complex and interesting without being inhuman. Despite Brother Dearest, I don’t know as much about quantum physics as I should, but I have recently taken a course in planetary science, and it was great for me to see the concepts I learnt there applied in sci fi. So far, this is a beautiful book, and Vyrl is a truly gorgeous hero. I would love to be able to do half as well, and it is a relief after Gossip Girl. The latter was supposed to be escapism during NaNo and failed; I wouldn’t exactly call The Quantum Rose escapism either, but it did rather prove that genre fiction can be as beautiful and profound as any modern literature.

What’s on my iPod : (ironically) Iris by Goo Goo Dolls.

I’ve decided that I will keep this blog up and running as a place for my crazy brained ideas. A place where I actually commune with the Muse. My other blog I’ll reserve for more professional posts. That being said, I thought that I might sit down and have a one on one with my MC and Hero of BROKEN.

~~Disclaimer~~ This is just a fun exercise to get into deep character development and see what really makes my characters tick.

So, getting my characters to cooperate was a little harder than expected, but once I finally sat them down and strapped them to a chair, I got some intriguing answers.

First up in the hot seat is Caleb…..

 Cate : So, tell me a little about yourself.

Caleb : (with a smirk) I’m an angel.

Cate : Uhm, besides the obvious. Why don’t we start with simple questions like what’s your favorite color?

Caleb : (the smirk widens) Black.

Cate : That explains alot. What’s your favorite food? (Why do I feel suddenly like I should just hand him a Slam Book?)

Caleb : French Fries. And anything that can be eaten with French Fries.

Cate : Have you ever had Tater Tots?

Caleb : No, what’s that?

Cate : You’ve never had Tater Tots? You’re missing out. But on to the next simple question, or let’s get a little more complex, shall we? Favorite musicain and why.

Caleb : I could say there are too many, but I have a feeling you won’t let me get away with that.

Cate : Nope.

Caleb : (deep sigh) The first musician that really struck me and drew me into his music was Mozart. I remember hiding in the eaves of the German opera house with Az, listening to The Magic Flute and thinking this guy has raw talent, a little off, but still amazingly talented. His music moved me, and that’s saying a lot.

Cate : wow, see how ease it is to open up. So, what about recent musicians?

Caleb : There really are too many to mention.

Cate : Nice try.

Caleb :  (another deep sigh) How far back am I going?

Cate : the past twenty years?

Caleb : Kurt Cobain, John Lennon, Roger Waters, Madonna, and recently someone special turned me on to the Blues and Jonny Lang.

Cate : Really. So, why play the guitar? It seems like you’ve had years and years to choose any instrument you wanted? And why are you the lead singer?

Caleb :  (shifts uneasily in the seat) Az would say that I like to be in the spotlight – all the time. And that’s just not true, that’s Az’s fantasy. But ever since these fools banded with me, I guess I’ve just taken the lead. So, I guess it was natural that I front the band, and since most frontmen don’t play drums, I chose to play the guitar.

Cate : What about the others? Why did they band with you, oh so long ago?

Caleb : Now, you’re asking deep questions. The Fallen tend to find those not fallen in hopes of redemption. I’m not able to provided that for my brothers, but at least, I keep their noses clean until they are redeemed.

Cate : Now for a really deep and revealing question. What was it about Sarah that caught your attention, changed your ways, and made you break a gazillion rules just to be with her.

Caleb : (doubling over with laughter) I always break the rules. there’s nothing new with that one. This time I just chose to break some new ones. And Sarah ( a deep sigh) well, she didn’t put up with my crap, for one, and second, her soul makes the most beautiful music. When she sings, it’s even more beautiful.

Cate : All right, I’m going to let you off the hook now.

waah rasanya siiip banget. semua perlu dilatih, yaa bhs enggris nyaa …latih,y,aa ,TInya…latih, yaaa hand out …latih, yaaa….latih…mudahkanlah…. mudahkanlah ya Alloh,kuniatkan semuanya untuk ibadah kepadaMu.agar smaga wangi dun akhrt.AMIIN

ya..ya…latih…yaa.ini kan bulan pengorbanan ….teladannya jelas… ada nabi Ibrahim , ada Nabi Ismail…nah tinggal …latih…menyesuaikan …taat melaksanakan perintah walau berat … n … siap berqurban walau berat juga … yang penting …. latih…ridhoNya kita raih ….

Christmas break hasn’t got off to a great start for 17-year-old Lila Beckwith. First, she’s handed a last-minute assignment on global warming, then her parents force her to cancel her Party Of The Year Christmas party (while also grounding her before they leave town), and to top it off her 8-year-old brother and his best friend take off to save Santa from the melting ice caps, of all things. Since her parents would freak if they found out their precious boy disappeared on Lila’s watch, she sets off to find them. And who’s along for the ride to track down the adventurers? Beau, the ex. Is this Christmas break destined not only to be a failure, but to ruin the social standing Lila’s worked so hard to attain?

Last week I was in a bit of a reading slump, coming off of two books that just didn’t work for me, one of which I haven’t finished yet. What I needed was something fun and quick. Did Kate Brian’s Ex-mas ever fit the bill! It’s not a deep, complex story, but Brian’s writing makes it entertaining and fun.

It’s obvious from the get-go that being thrown together for this spontaneous trip isn’t Lila or Beau’s idea of a good time. Although they’re only in High School, they’ve already managed to create quite a history together, and their rocky relationship feels believable. Most of the book takes place in a car, which could easily become boring, but Brian does a great job of keeping the story going, both through Lila and Beau’s conversation and Lila’s memories of how things used to be.

The only thing that irked me was the overabundance of pop culture references. They work for the story, but it’s not going to take too many years (months?) for the book to feel dated. And Lila saying that A Knight’s Tale was one of her favourite “old-school” movies made me feel old. Um, yeah…

I definitely recommend this book for 2009 holiday reading, especially if you need a break from some heavier reading.

My rating: 7.5/10

Holiday Reading Challenge: 1/2

Related:
Soundtrack Saturday

Tu Publishing is a new small press trying to raise enough money through donations to buy their first manuscripts. They are focused on promoting multi-cultural Science Fiction and Fantasy in Young Adult Literature, a goal that A Working Title fully supports. Stacy Whitman is the Editorial Director. They have 18 days left for their fundraiser at KickStarter and still have a lot of money to raise. I hope the readers of A Working Title will do what they can to help get this small press off the ground.

Q1: What drew you to create Tu Publishing?

TP: Several things, really. I’d been looking for the next step for a while, after freelancing for about six months after a layoff, and a friend actually suggested it one night—let’s start a small press. I thought she was joking, but in fact she was serious. We started putting together a business plan, and looking at niches we might be able to fill. I wanted to work on fantasy and science fiction because that’s what I love. I’ve always tried to seek multicultural characters and settings as an editor, and I’d become even more aware of the issue because of the RaceFail discussion. While RaceFail mostly addressed adult fantasy and science fiction, the discussion carried over into an awareness of how few multicultural settings and characters we really have in YA SFF, too. So it seemed quite natural to investigate how the small press I wanted to start might be able to fill at least a little of this gap.

Q2: What is the idea behind the Multicultural aspect? Do you feel that Young Adult fantasy and science fiction is currently lacking in diversity?

TP: Yes and no. A number of really great fantasies have come out lately with diverse characters—Cindy Pon’s Silver Phoenix, Grace Lin’s Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, Shannon Hale’s Book of a Thousand Days, and Alison Goodman’s Eon: Dragoneye Reborn to name a few. Yet these books might not be as well-known to a general audience as some other middle grade and YA fantasy titles, and there are fewer of them. It’s hard to get solid numbers on fantasy, but if you look at the CCBC’s numbers from 2008, out of 3000 books that year, only about 3% of those books had significant African or African American content that wasn’t a geography book, and 2% were Latino.

It’s hard to say how many of those were fantasy, or if the CCBC counted fantasy separately from multicultural books, but another list that was recently put together by Elizabeth Bluemle, a bookseller (I’m looking for the link, but I believe it’s waaay back in my Twitter feed), of recent books featuring African American or other characters of color, and about 24 of over 600 books were fantasy. Even adding in the 50-some books we listed in separate book list blog posts, that’s not a large number.

We often have “diversity” in fantasy in the different kinds of fantasy species we run into—whether that be elves, dwarves, pixies, or dragons. But often the main human character is white, and the folklore upon which the story depends is Western European. There are so many cultures from around the world, and so many different kinds of foundations upon which a fantasy story can be built. I think it’s important for us in publishing to remember that. And we’ve got great examples of this kind of storytelling, but we need more of them.

Q3: What do you hope to accomplish through Tu Publishing?

TP: To publish great stories that entertain and inspire, and for those stories to reach a wide audience, including an audience that might not have seen themselves in fantasy before.

Q4: Why focus on YA and children’s books?

TP: Why not? Children’s and YA is the place to be! I love what a renaissance we’re going through in YA right now. Stories for young people tend to focus on the story more than in many adult genres: they’re more about characters and plot and less about showing the reader how artful the writer can be with a sentence. And I think this makes for better writing. Now, there are a number of adult books that I enjoy. But I love seeing individual child readers light up at finding a story they really connect with—stories that make them lifelong readers.

Q5: Why science fiction and fantasy?

TP: While realistic novels and picture books have plenty of publishers making sure that a wide variety of stories get told, with a wide variety of cultures and people represented in them, fantasy tends not to get this kind of attention. We still have a long way to go on many fronts, don’t get me wrong. But fantasy is a genre that, due to my experience and qualifications, I can do something about.

Q6: Who are some of your influences?

TP: There are so many, it’s hard to really pick! A major influence on getting started on this project in the first place would be my friend Charisa, who is the friend whose joke started the whole idea. She’s a huge anime fan and got me watching a lot of it this last year or so (I have liked it for years, but never knew where to start beyond Miyazaki and Avatar: The Last Airbender), and my awareness of anime and manga got me thinking about what I now know to be interculturalism (see below for more on that).

Robert Jordan was one of the first authors I read who created a world inspired by our whole world—not just European culture, but Asian culture, African culture, a wide range of mixing and matching of different influences. I loved picking out possible inspirations for all the different cultures he created, and I loved yelling at his characters and telling them to just talk to each other—as I kept devouring volume after volume. I’m actually in the middle of a reread of the books, because I haven’t read them for a few years and the newest volume is out now, and it takes me back to 1992 when I first picked up The Eye of the World as a freshman in college, wide-eyed, from a farm town in western Illinois where I could count on one hand the people of color I knew. As a kid, I’d always wondered why I wasn’t born Japanese, and in Jordan’s books I was able to explore a multitude of cultures.

But most of all, I blame my college roommates. Over the course of a few years, I lived with two Laotians, two Brazilians, two Koreans, one black Englishwoman, three Canadians, one Puerto Rican, and one Mexican (the last with whom I plan on eating Thanksgiving dinner with on Thursday!). That doesn’t even count those who came in later years. These strong, intelligent, awesome women, and many other neighbors and friends over the years, taught me about their cultures and helped me to see beyond my own. I always joke that one day I’m going to go on a world tour and never stay in a hotel, but really, they gave me a world tour by being my friends. Why shouldn’t everyone get to have a similar experience through reading?

And, of course, I hope that our books, in some small way, also might influence people to find more of a reason to seek out friends of different backgrounds from themselves in real life.

Q7: What has it taken to get Tu Publishing started? Can you walk us through a little of the process?

TP: I’ve been working on the business plan since March of 2009, and registered the business that summer. I’ve been working with a Small Business Administration coach to help me navigate the parts of starting a business I’m not as familiar with (accounting, for example), and she’s been a huge help in the process. As I built my business plan, I also have been learning Illustrator, because though I have a designer friend who will help me, I’ll be implementing a lot of his art direction. I’ve been putting together a marketing and PR plan, putting together financials such as P&Ls for sample books, cash flow statements, and budgeted income statements, and basically doing the footwork for planning a business—and of course, being in publishing makes it that much more complicated. I’ve had to calculate royalties, plan for how I’ll handle advances, and explore accounting procedures. I had to decide whether the business should be an LLC, S-corp, or C-corp. I’ve been reading a LOT of business and marketing books to be sure that I’m well-grounded in the areas of the business I’m not as familiar with.

The biggest challenge has been funding, of course. It takes a lot of money to start a publishing company. We’ve been running a fundraising campaign at Kickstarter that has about 18 days left to go (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1586632165/tu-publishing-a-small-independent-multicultural) and to support that, several friends have started an online auction (http://community.livejournal.com/kickstart_tu/) to benefit the Kickstarter. I’ve applied for grants, and I have had a private investor approach me, as well. Between all these and a small business loan, we hope to be open for submissions come January 2010.

Q8: You are relying on donations to buy your first manuscripts. How much do you still need to reach your goal?

TP: Right now, our Kickstarter is 31% funded. So we need another $6900 to reach our goal by Dec. 14. The best part about this kind of fundraising is that, much like a PBS campaign, everyone who donates–whether it’s $5 or $50–gets a reward for their donation. Bookmarks, advance reader’s copies, books donated to their library, that kind of thing.

If we reach our goal, everyone wins. If we don’t reach our goal, no money exchanges hands. It seemed like a great way to get started and to get the word out about what we hope to accomplish at the same time. We’ll also be approaching banks for a small business loan, but we’ve all been hearing about how few loans are getting made in this economy, so we hope that between the Kickstarter and a few other resources (including, of course, money out of my own savings account and out of my pocket going forward–$10,000 is only the beginning of what a company like this will need) we’ll be able to show a few sales to the banks first.

Q9: Do you have any particular authors or future authors in mind for your first purchases?

TP: I have several authors in mind, and many more who I’ve been talking with, but I’m not at a point yet where I’m ready to talk about specifics. I’ve worked with a number of authors in the past who I’d love to continue working with, and hopefully some of those authors will have something that will work for us.

Q10: Who makes up the staff of Tu Publishing? Can you tell us about some of the backgrounds of your crew?

Stacy Whitman

I’ve worked with authors such as James Dashner and Tiffany Trent. Some of the titles I’ve edited include The New York Times best-selling picture book A Practical Guide to Monsters, the acclaimed YA series Hallowmere, and the middle grade fantasy adventure series that debuted with Red Dragon Codex by R.D. Henham.

My art director is Isaac Stewart, who designed the maps for the Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson and draws the Rocket Road Trip webcomic (http://rocketroadtrip.com/). He’s a talented artist and designer—he designed our logo—and I’m excited to work with him.

I also have a number of talented freelancers I’ll be relying on for editorial and marketing/PR help. Mostly, though, as with most startups, I will be wearing a lot of hats while we get started, until I can hire full-time helpers. I’ll also be relying upon interns for manuscript reading, for example.

Q11: Do you have any available staff positions open right now? When will you start accepting manuscripts for consideration?

TP: Not at the moment. I already have a number of friends in the industry who have offered their assistance, and I have contacts at the local universities with whom I’m working to arrange intern help when it’ll become necessary. I hope that these freelance gigs will turn into full-time jobs for some people, but that will take time. We’re only going to publish two books our first year, so I’ll be the only full-time staff member—and I won’t be taking a salary.

Q11: Have you received support or negativity for this project?

TP: I’ve received a lot of support—overwhelming support. It’s been a good experience. My friends and friends of friends and people just out of the blue continuously encourage me and tell me that they think this is a great idea.

I have had one or two people tell me that they feel that “multicultural” to them means an attack on white people, but I honestly don’t know how to answer that. I’m white, and I don’t feel like exploring other cultures is any way an attack on my cultural heritage. I love that I’m Swedish/Irish/Scottish/English/German/Prussian—and I love exploring my heritage. Perhaps that’s why I love asking other people about theirs? I’m not sure. But I hope that the stories we publish will appeal to a broad range of people, including white people. I think that there are emotional experiences that resonate across cultures, and I think it’s entirely valid to say, “Where’s the Latino Harry Potter? Where’s the African American (or Ghanan, or Iranian) Twilight?”

On the flip side, some have suggested that the word “multicultural” might be past its prime, and that we should be able to publish a wide variety of characters and stories without having to label those stories into a ghetto of sorts. I agree that this is a niche that should appeal to everyone, and I intend to acquire books that have a wide appeal. Personally, I think fantasy and SF are a great place for expansion of the niche, because of their detachment from the real world—often, fantasy and SF can explore issues that have emotional baggage in the real world—and I hope that the stories we publish will bridge the niche to a wider readership. We don’t want to publish African American stories only for African American readers, and Asian stories for Asian readers, and so forth.

I love the term “interculturalism,” actually (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interculturalism), as a way of explaining the kind of reach we hope to have across cultures—as Wikipedia defines it, “an inherent openness to the culture of the ‘other.’” Aren’t we all “other” in some way to other people? And one way of bridging that divide is to explore stories from perspectives not our own. Check out Renee@Shen’s Multicultural Minute on the subject: http://www.shens.com/blog/2009/08/the-multicultural-minute-2-int.html.

Q12: What’s the best positive reaction you’ve received?

TP: I’m really not sure I could pin it down to just one. I think every time someone retweets what we’re talking about, every time I see that someone has linked to us and said they’re looking forward to seeing us succeed, it gives me confidence. We’re not the only people to think of this, and certainly not the first—we’re part of a huge team of people and hope to be one more force for good.

Q13: What are some ways besides donating that supporters can help get Tu Publishing off the ground?

TP: Right now, the best thing you can do is spread the word. Share links to our site with friends on Facebook, talk about it with real-life friends and on Twitter and wherever you’re having conversations. Read our blog (http://www.tupublishing.com) and comment, and point out to us people who we might want to interview for the blog. And as far as the reality of making sure we have enough money to get off the ground, the more people who know about us, the more a few people who might have an extra $20 might think, “Hey, I like this idea, and I can totally spare that much to get a coupon for a book.” Once we’re open for submissions, they can tell all their writer friends about us too (well, and that one doesn’t have to wait until we’re open, either!). We know how tough the economy has been on people—I myself made do without insurance while barely getting by as a freelancer for a year after getting laid off—and we know how much of a sacrifice even $20 can be, so we appreciate those who can spare even a little, and understand how few people might be able to do that much.

Q14: Where do you think the future of speculative fiction is going? More inclusive of diverse characters, or more exclusive?

TP: We’re at a point where a lot of people are thinking about race in children’s books—not only RaceFail but Justine Larbalestier’s Liar cover controversy has brought up the issue in the collective consciousness. So I think a number of people are thinking more consciously about the issue than they perhaps might have been in the past, and I hope that more people are paying attention to the books they buy.

But publishers publish what the “market” demands—they publish where book sales are greatest. Bookstores, of course, have a huge part in this, as do librarians, and I hope that the Liar issue helped us all in the book business to become more aware of it. What it comes down to is readers demanding books that reflect a wide variety of people by buying good books with diverse casts of characters, and publishers making sure that we pay attention to this issue.

All that is to say: Yes, I think speculative fiction is going to become more diverse. Or really, at least as far as science fiction goes—to become diverse again, because if you read Heinlein, he believed the future was a lot of shades of brown. I hope that the leaders in writing diverse fantasy will have many followers in their footsteps, too. But it will only happen if readers look for those books, and if publishers publish those books.

Q15: Finally, do you have anything else you’d like to add?

TP: Thanks so much for the interview! Also, feel free to check out our blog at http://www.tupublishing.com, follow us on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/tupublishing), or fan us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tu-Publishing/112191230046). Keep an eye on any of those venues for announcements of submission guidelines, contests, and other news.

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The first five commenters will get 2 free and awesome Tu Publishing book marks, one for you and one to pass out and spread the word, which A Working Title will mail to you, anywhere in the world.

I purchased Diary of a Stinky Dead Kid for the JFIC collection thinking it was a straight parody of Diary of a Wimpy Kid.  It’s not, it’s a graphic novel and includes other stories, and is more YA than J, so expect to see it in your YA GN collection soon.  The real “gem” inside this book, in my opinion, is the parody of Twilight, something you might have to point out to the Twilight-haters who might not otherwise notice it.

by Laini Taylor

Gorgeous book — in every aspect. The cover is gorgeously attractive, the interior artwork is exquisite, and the writing is simply delicious. The three stories are rich in imagery, imagination, and deep emotion, and I want to collect so many sentences to make found poetry with the text. Totally taken by this book. So far, the young people that I gave the book to have enjoyed it tremendously as well.

View all my goodreads reviews >>

Although Meg has always been somewhat of a troublemaker, she also has big dreams of leaving her small town life forever as soon as high school is over.  Now, just a week before her senior year spring break, she and a few friends are arrested for walking on this railroad bridge that several kids died on years back.  As punishment, Meg must spend eight hours every day for a week riding along with the police officer who arrested her, John.  Turns out John is just a year older than Meg, and although he stayed in their Alabama town after graduation, he has plenty of demons of his own to deal with.  As the two get to know each other, they realize they have much more in common than they would have expected… and it takes very little time for them to start bringing out both the best and worst in one another…

I really, really liked this novel.  The romance between Meg and John was just so genuine and believable, it was absolutely my favorite thing about the book.  I just loved how it evolved from them disliking each other, to getting along but not understanding each other, to having crushes on each other, to an almost relationship.  The progression of things really reminded me of a Sarah Dessen novel (and you all know how much I LOVE Sarah Dessen).

I really felt for Meg throughout the book.  She was so hardworking, caring, and smart, but because she looks a certain way, and lives in a small town where rumors are abundant, everybody assumes so much about her.  Sure, she had broken a couple of rules in her day, but truly she was just a great student who helped out her parents’ restaurant in her spare time, counting the days until college.  I totally understood her frustration with her small-town life and needing to get out of there.  I didn’t live in a small town in high school, but by senior year I was more than ready to get out and get to college, so I definitely understood Meg’s desire to leave.

Overall, Going Too Far is a sweet young adult novel with complex characters and a realistic romantic connection.  Jennifer Echols is definitely an author I’ll be watching out for.

I finally got time to go shopping again!  I guess it’s technically almost winter, but the weather outside says otherwise, which is okay by me!  I found some really cute stuff, below are my faves:

The holidays are coming up, which means a lot of parties and functions.  Here are a few party dress options:

Love the colors in this Max & Cleo tube dress from Sonny B. $150

Metallics are also a fun option from black for the holidays.  This Ya tube dress from Sole Searching is so cute! $49

Another option is this Max & Cleo Silver dress from Sonny B. $150

If you’re looking for a dress thats a little less flashy, but still fun, this Max & Cleo Fringe dress is perfect! Also from Sonny B., $157.50

I’m also loving this Max & Cleo classy purple houndstooth print dress from Sonny B. $110 This one can be dressed up or down!

Another fab look for the holidays is a great pantsuit, with a fun shirt.  Check out this outfit.  Grab the BCBGeneration Tuxedo jacket from Lula Balou $128….

Layer it over this BB Dakota sequin tank from Sonny B. $66

And finally finish it off with these BB Dakota skinny black pants also from Sonny B. $84

Right now Sole Searching has some fabulous necklaces that can dress up any outfit.  Looking for something edgy, yet refined? you need this gold & onyx necklace. $169

For a classier look try this impressive freshwater pearl necklace, $120, which has matching pearl hoop earrings 

or either of these Lenora Dame Pearl Necklaces $115, $120

And every lady needs a good cocktail ring.  Choose from any of these plus more at Sole Searching, $29-$39

During this time of year, I am always on the lookout for cute long-sleeved dress.  The buttons on the sleeves really do it for this Vfish dress from Sole Searching, $115

Another option to winter-ize your skimpier dresses are to layer long-sleeved shirts underneath.  The sleeves on this Mystree black shirt make it more dramatic.  From Lula Balou, $48

Turtlenecks can feel very restricting, but the cut-out lace shoulders of this XCVI shirt makes it a little more refreshing and super-cute to wear under a tube dress.  From Sole Searching, $99

Both of these shirts also play well with the trend this fall to emphasize shoulders.  Another trend that is big right now is draping.  Whether its used in more of a sporty style, like this Gado Gado skirt from Sole Searching, $69

or whether its incorporated into an every-day piece, like this Aryn K. navy blouse from Sonny B., $89, this look is always flattering.

Textures are also very happening during this time of year.  How fun is this Ya vest from Sole Searching? $49

Differnt textures and patterns are also good for outerwear, since this is the part of your outfit that people see the most when it gets chilly.  This 3 Sisters paisley coat from Lula Balou is guaranteed to be a head-turner, $248

This D.E.P.T tweed jacket reminds me of Chanel, and I love everything Chanel! Also from Lula Balou, $140

This Fumblin’ Foe military style brocade jacket is also a nice choice, from Lula Balou, $130

Another way to dress up your outerwear, is with fabulous shoes!! Boots & booties are a must!  These Seychelles black booties from Sole Searching kick booty! $115

Buckles are hot right now, especially on these Not Rated grey boots from Lula Balou, $75

These Matiko suede booties are cuties! From Lula Balou, $140

Looking for something taller and funky?  These two Irregular Choice boots are for you.  First pair from Lula Balou, $248, second from Sole Searching, $269

As far as bags go this season, faux-skin is in.  Love the utility of this Shiraleah handbag from Sonny B. $89

This Melie Bianco bag is super soft! From Sole Searching, $89

The bucket style handbag is also back.  This Melie Bianco bag has the option of using a longer strap, and I love the woven texture.  Also from Sole Searching $110.

What are some other pieces that I need this season you ask?  Well, for one, a hot mini skirt!  This  BCBGeneration body con skirt from Lula Balou is very slimming, and versitile.  Wear it with a cute top for going out, or a t-shirt to dress it down, $88

Another piece that I wear almost every day is a cardigan.  Even though I don’t ride horses, I tend to love everything equestrian, like this Charlotte cardigan from Lula Balou, with it’s horse and bridle print.  $118

And don’t forget to add a little bit of color to your winter wardrobe.  Its easy to wear all black, but its more fun to wear a color!  Try this Trinity multi-colored tank for literally a splash of color.  From Sonny B., $62.50

Well hopefully you will all leave a little bit inspired   Have a Happy Thanksgiving, and safe travels!

I loved Evolution Me and Other Freaks of Nature and Fat Cat is also a great read.  I remember talking to RObin at a book signing in Oak Park and hearing her tell us about how she was writing Fat Cat.  At the time I thought it sounded fascinating and after having read it, I think she did an even better job than I would have imagined.  This is the story of Cat, a girl who is a little pudgy and who needs to do a science project on early hominids (i.e cavemen).  She decides to do the project on herself and see what happens when she eats and exercises the way they would have.  The results are amazing, but more importantly, the story of the relationship between Cat and others is just as riveting.  I can definitely see girls trying to do something like this, but it is not a diet book.  Cat is a wonderful character and she comes alive on the pages.  The end surprised me, but looking back it shouldn’t have.  The best part of this book is it is one of the rare books that I find myself pondering over long after I have finished.  I have been done for over a week and I am still thinking about the book and what it says about us as humans and about relationships.  I have recommended it to several people and hope they will enjoy it as much as I did.

A first novel first, and one that by rights should be much more annoying than it actually is. Graceling is, after all, set in a generically medieval world with Seven Kingdoms, and never doubts that monarchy is just fine as long as there’s a Good Monarch on the throne; takes as its protagonist a very special young woman with a Grace — a magical talent of mysterious origin — that allows her to be the very best fighter in any of those kingdoms; and has its characters’ maturity levels thoroughly backwards, with a ten-year-old child who says things like, “Think … It wasn’t such a strange thing for him to do, knowing he might die in a fight” (280), and ostensibly worldly adults who need to ask, “Well, why does it pleasure him to hurt people? [...] Everyone has some kind of power to hurt people. It doesn’t mean they do” (293). Moreover, it is distinguished by a procession of names that run from the uninspired — Wester for the Western Kingdom, Nander for the Northern one, Estill for the Eastern one, and so on — to the unbelievable — human characters called Tealiff, Raffin, Patch and, most painfully, Po. The whole book is like this, in a way that never really becomes unobtrusive: familiar, safely shaded within the lines of genre convention. And yet, somehow, it’s also zippy good fun, from first page to last.

My answer to this conundrum is to say that Cashore has a Grace of her own: a Grace for clarity. Graceling is distinguished by its crisp, direct language; by the orrery precision of Cashore’s plotting; by the careful but never ambiguous nuances of her characters’ emotional progressions; and by the firm yet unhectoring development of an argument about what it means to be a young woman — a woman with power — coming of age in a man’s world. The irritations noted above flow from the same well (Graces are never entirely without cost), as do some others: the Bad King Leck, for instance, who is simply and purely villainous not just because he has a Grace for telling lies about the world and making them stick — which would be enough — but because he tortures children and small animals.

On with the story. As the book begins, our Graceling, Katsa — yes, one letter away from being something you can order in Wagamama — is a thug for a Bad King, one who seized on her skill for violence as soon as it demonstrated itself, and moulded her into his strong arm. She has killed and tortured for him, often; but in secret rebellion, she has also set up a Council to carry out good deeds in an attempt to balance the scales. On one such Council mission, Katsa encounters another Graceling, a Prince from one of the other kingdoms — the aforementioned Po — who turns out to be on a mission of his own that intersects with hers. After some narrative throat-clearing, they join forces to solve the mystery of the kidnap of Po’s grandfather. It’s a well-paced adventure, with appropriately thrilling action, and satisfying revelations; but it is also, for a good long while, pretty much an excuse to have the two of them spend time together journeying across the Kingdoms, developing a relationship that is by turns affecting, nauseating, admirable and questionable: which is to say, believable.

In this Cashore is aided by her choice of Grace for Prince Po. Graces can be for almost anything you can imagine; physical skills such as swimming or climbing, say, or psychic talents such as precognition. Po’s Grace is of this latter type. He can sense the presence of other living beings, and when any of them think about him he picks it up like Noise. The downside is that, like other psychic Graces, such a talent attracts a certain degree of prejudice from the people of the Seven Kingdoms — or would, if they knew about it; Po takes care to keep the true nature of his Grace secret. On the upside, it’s a convenient way for Cashore to force characters to be direct with one another about their feelings, and provides many opportunities for knowing riffs on the development of relationships:

They had entire conversations in which they didn’t say a word. For Po could sense when Katsa desired to talk to him, and if there was a thing she wanted him to know, his Grace could capture that thing. It seemed a useful ability for them to practise. And Katsa found that the more comfortable she grew with opening her mind to him, the more practised she became with closing it as well. It was never entirely satisfying, closing her mind, because whenever she closed her feelings from him she must also close them from herself. But it was something. (177)

This is, though Katsa doesn’t use the word, what learning intimacy is like — a sense of the importance of human connection — and it’s a particular challenge for one as fiercely independent and physically-focused as she. (As she has to be, I might say; her Grace is an integral part of her, in that it’s shaped her personality, probably as significantly as anything in her lived experience.) There’s a lot of this sort of thing, and a lot of it goes straight to your heart. [Both Katsa and Po are extremely well-visualised characters, and their thoughts and reactions are complex and meaningful.] The problem, however, is an occasional sense that it’s too easy: that Po is too completely well-adjusted, too good to be true, too sympathetic, patient and generous at all times and to a fault. Po and Katsa’s relationship, for all its mutuality, is not one in which two people grow together, it’s one in which Po waits for Katsa’s emotional growth to catch up to his. The major emotional challenge faced by Po doesn’t come until late in the novel, and it’s the challenge of one who is knocked down and has to get up again, not — as Katsa’s challenge is — one of reaching beyond yourself. Some coincidences of content — an experienced survivor mentoring a younger girl; a long, frozen trek to get someone to safety — had me wondering whether Cashore was referencing The Adventures of Alyx; and thinking that, I can’t help wondering what Russ would make of Cashore’s certainty in the potential for and of open-hearted romantic relationships.

But the clear argument running through Graceling is that it is possible to see clearly in matters of the human heart, and always better to do so. As illustration, consider the portrayal of anger, or more accurately the portrayal of the limits of anger. Katsa is often angry, and her anger is always justified; her world is filled with injustices, and not just ones that afflict her personally. But her anger is also often problematic — “She must guard against using her Grace in anger”, she realises. “This was where her nature’s struggle lay” (94) — usually for the specific reason that it clouds sight, and leads to rash action. We are never allowed to doubt that impulsiveness, action by instinct, is a vital part of Katsa — again, probably innate, thanks to her Grace, as much as learned — but though it solves problems, such solutions are never fully satisfactory. (And towards the end of the book, one of the signs that a particular King is Good is his insistence that Katsa goes slow, thinks first, doesn’t rush in.) It is a somewhat refreshing approach, and one of the relatively few aspects of the book where Cashore does more than simply colour within the lines.

Many Graces, of course, turn out to be more subtle in their action than they first appear, and subject to change over time, with implications for both Katsa and Po’s sense of identity. But the true nature of Po’s Grace, when it is explicated, late in the book, is not a surprise. He begins to sense the physical world, as well as living creatures:

“And then, in the cave, with the soldiers shouting outside and my body so cold I thought I would bite off my own tongue with my chattering teeth — I found it, Katsa.”

He stopped talking, and he was quiet for so long that she wondered if he’d forgotten what he’d been saying.

“What did you find?”

He turned his head to her, surprised. “Clarity”, he said. (323)

In its best, purest moments, Graceling is like this: a revelation that lights the darkness.

#

If Kristin Cashore’s Grace is for clarity, Frances Hardinge’s is for play. The opening paragraph of her third novel snares you not just because it’s so confidently done –

It was a burnished, cloudless day with a tug-of-war wind, a fine day for flying. And so Raglan Skein left his body neatly laid out on his bed, its breath as slow as sea swell, and took to the sky. (1)

– but because what it’s describing is a pure kind of freedom, and sounds like fun. And Hardinge doesn’t let it rest there. Skein is a Lost, which means that he’s capable of sending all his senses off independently: “a gifted Lost might be feeling the grass under their knees, tasting the peach in your hand, overhearing a conversation in the next village and smelling cooking in the next town, all while watching barracudas dapple and brisk around a shipwreck ten miles out to see” (1). Just imagine the possibilities. Hardinge does, both for humans and for other animals. Also found on Gullstruck is a species called the farsight fish, which possesses Lost-like abilities and is thus “notoriously difficult to catch because it was almost impossible to take by surprise” (37); though if you do catch it you can borrow its ability for a short period, leading to a rather Douglas Adams-ish observation about the problem of gulls who have feasted on farsight flesh getting confused, thinking they can still see around mist when they can’t, and flying into a cliff.

Hardinge is playing with us in another way here, though, because Raglan Skein isn’t the protagonist of Gullstruck Island. Who is? It might be the girl on whom Skein spies: Arilou, “the most important person” in her village, and “arguably the only excuse for its existence” (4). Arilou is a Lost too, the first born to the Lace — a coastal-dwelling tribe — in over fifty years, and approaching the age where her abilities are due to be formally tested. There is always the danger, with an untrained Lost child, that their senses will wander off, never to be fully reunited. But when they are trained, the Lost are vital, forming a sort of living communication network for Gullstruck, and (in the form of the Lost Council) mediating between the various peoples living on the island. Gullstruck is a messy place; the diverse cultures of the island’s native tribes have, for generations now, been subordinate to the impositions of Cavalcaste settlers — despite the settlers’ stubborn lack of adaptation to the requirements of their new home, in their stubborn retention of inappropriate clothing, in their too-tall buildings, and their outdated laws. (There are no exact historical parallels, but the Gullstruck natives are something like South Pacific islanders, and the Cavalcaste are something like Northern Europeans.) Given the relative lack of space, at this point almost everybody on the island is mixed-race — Hardinge’s word is mestizo — but it’s the Cavalcaste traditions that dominate, particularly their ancestor-worship. So having a Lost in the village is, indeed, a good thing; it brings respect, influence, possibly wealth, all things the Lace have lost. Unfortunately, the secret the village keeps from the outside world is that Arilou may be a lost Lost, her senses hopelessly scattered; or she may be a Lost and mentally damaged in some way; or she may not be a Lost at all.

So Arilou isn’t the protagonist either. Maybe it’s the girl we meet at the start of the first chapter proper –

On the beach, a gull-storm erupted as rocks came bouncing down from the clifftop. Half a step behind the rocks scrambled Eiven, her face flushed from running. (5)

Eiven looks like good protagonist material. She is bold, agile, and confident; she brings news of the arrival of the Lost Inspector, and sets off the preparations for his visit.

And then she pretty much disappears from the narrative. We are being played with, again. There is, admittedly, a clue; the narrative spots a girl who escapes Skein’s notice, “anonymous as dust”, and boldly informs us that “you have already met her, or somebody very like her, and you cannot remember her at all” (4). But it’s another fifteen pages or so before we actually get to meet Hathin, who turns out to stay at the centre of the narrative for most of the rest of the novel’s thirty-nine chapters. First we meet Minchard Prox, assistant to the Lost Inspector, and it’s through his eyes that we learn Hathin is Arilou’s sister, minder and translator. The Lace cover story is that Arilou’s slurred speech is the result of incomplete control of her body (not an uncommon problem for untrained Lost), and only Hathin can understand her. The reality is that Hathin is making it up as she goes, and she’s going to need all her wits to trick the Lost Inspector into thinking Arilou can pass the tests he’s going to set.

Oops. Played again. That is what happens next; but it’s also a distraction, marking time until the real plot snaps into action. Skein dies mid-way through the tests. Soon enough it becomes clear that every other Lost on the island has also died — except Arilou. At first it seems that this will be a benefit to the Lace, a chance to regain some respect and importance. Of course, all too quickly, suspicions are turned against the Lace: did they kill the Lost? They stood to gain. The village is destroyed, and Hathin flees with Arilou across the inland volcanoes. A quest is born: to escape, to clear the name of the Lace, and to bring the true culprits to justice. Hence, presumably, the rather naff title of the US edition: The Lost Conspiracy.

At that point things get a bit more predictable (making it a sort of inversion of Hardinge’s first novel, Fly by Night); but in the end you don’t read Gullstruck Island for the plot. You don’t even read it for the characters who, though appealing, and inter-related in complex and satisfying ways (Hathin and Arilou’s relationship is beautifully developed), are not that deeply rendered. You read it to be enchanted by Hardinge’s voice, whether whimsical or deadly serious, or both at once:

Despite her high status, Milady Page usually spoke Nundestruth. It was nobody’s language, everybody’s language, a stew of words taken from the tribes and the Cavalcaste alike. By the time the first settlers’ grandchildren were full-grown, they found that however carefully they taught their own children their ancestral tongue, the children caught the hybrid chatter in the streets and brought it home like mud on their boots. “That gibberish may be good for the fields and the beach but Not Under This Roof!” the parents cried, only succeeding in giving the new language its name. Proper-speak, the old colonial language, earned the nickname “Doorsy”, indoors-speak. (28)

Most of the time, Hardinge writes in a kind of Nundestruth; resolutely playful in her descriptions, fearlessly indulging in rhyme (“Like many Gullstruck officials he was both well-heeled and bell-heeled”, 9), or cranky repetition (Port Suddenwind, the largest Cavalcaste town, is a “creaking clockwork of laws, laws, laws”, 26), or alliterative chapter titles (“Twisted Tongues”, “Farsight Flesh”, “Trial and Trickery”, “Heat Haze”). But she’s equally competent in Doorsy, when the situation calls for it: “And so ended the conference of the invisible, in the cavern of blood and secrets, on the night of the mist” (43). It is in no way as neat a novel as Graceling (a quite Doorsy book), but it makes of its freedom a strength: it finds joy and pride in its messiness, in the messiness of the things it describes.

Everything is alive, in Gullstruck Island. “Thunder rolled unseen cannonballs across the sky” (69); “the little clock gnawed away the hours” (111); “flames flung loving, golden arms around the summer-roasted palm thatch” (123). And there are the volcanoes that define Gullstruck’s geography and are, to the tribes such as the Lace, the true powers on the island. These are wonderfully handled: clearly, meticulously researched, but gifted with their own personalities that aid and abet Hathin and Arilou on their journey, from cranky Mother Tooth to mad Lord Crackgem, and the jealous love triangle that is Sorrow and her two suitors, Lord Spearhead and the King of Fans. So much in Gullstruck Island rests on who and what you see as living and worthy of respect, as distinct and individual. For the Lace, the answer is just about everyone and everything; the Cavalcaste are distorted by their fixation on the dead. And in the novel’s darkest moments, the islanders cease being individuals altogether, and become something else: “Mob wasn’t people. It took people and folded their faces like paper” (278).

This is, ultimately, the only real source of disappointment in the book. Gullstruck Island is a light address to serious topics — the hatred stirred up against the Lace in the wake of the Lost deaths is not new, it is an awakening of an old, ingrained prejudice, exploited by the story’s villains. (Who, if doubt remained, are Bad News either because they actively dislike the mess of diversity that characterises Gullstruck, or because their preference for order, their aversion to play, enables them to be twisted into malicious tools.) Hathin’s campaign to right the scales leads her down a dark path, swearing a vengeance that it is very clear could break her, that does in some ways immediately break her. All of this is good: that you don’t put a bunch of volcanoes on the mantel in Act I if you’re not going to do something with them in Act III does not make the ending too neat. What does, unfortunately, is the reduction of people to Mob, because it allows problems to be solved too easily. It’s too great a contrast with Hathin’s spirited individualism (no romance here); it’s not just that it allows there to be a spider at the centre of the web, but that it allows removal of the spider to leave the world a better place. This is, of course, marvellously freeing; the end of the novel is full of messy freedoms — “true joy, like true pain, does not care how it looks or sounds” (487) — and puts Hathin in a position to be whatever she wants to be. But freedom from the ancestor-worship of the Cavalcaste even becomes, it seems, freedom from history: and that’s a freedom too far for me.

#

There is some discussion of the ease with which groups of people can be manipulated in The Ask & The Answer, too. “A man is capable of thought”, one character notes. “A crowd is not” (120). It’s a sentiment that acquires new force in the context of Chaos Walking, for a couple of reasons. One is that the series is set on New World, a planet on which all men, and all active fauna, constantly broadcast their thoughts as Noise. (This includes the sentient Spackle, for whom it is the only method of communication. Women remain exempt in this middle book of the trilogy, though since it is pointedly noted, without explanation, that this sets them apart from every other species on the planet — female animals have Noise — presumably further developments will be forthcoming in volume three.) But the second reason is that if Patrick Ness has a Grace, it is for manipulation; like The Knife of Never Letting Go, The Ask & The Answer is staggeringly effective at guiding the responses of its readers, at controlling the flow of information and shaping raw events into irresistable story.

We start out with protagonists Todd and Viola in the power of the series villain, Mayor Prentiss, who has brought the largest town on New World under his sway, and is keen to use the excuse of Noise to institute full-scale segregation of men and women. As he puts it, so carefully and reluctantly: “The borders between men and women had become blurred, and the reintroduction of those borders is a slow and painful process [...] but the important thing to remember is, as I’ve said, the war is over” (130). You might be forgiven for thinking, just briefly, that he’s right. The council of what was once Haven, and is now New Prentisstown, did after all vote to submit to the Mayor’s authority because they didn’t want more war, because they decided that capitulation was the best way to save lives. The deposed chair defends the decision: “Not everything is black and white, Todd. In fact, almost nothing is” (36).

Yet what happens in The Ask & The Answer seems black enough. Crudely put, it is the first steps towards building Gilead. Todd and Viola are split up, and the narrative splits with them. Todd is kept alive for the potential the Mayor sees in him, and assigned to oversee the management of a contingent of Spackle prisoners — previously used as servants by the inhabitants of Haven, they are now locked up together, and kept docile through the application of a “cure” for Noise. Viola, meanwhile, is kept alive for the information the Mayor thinks he can get out of her, about the incoming second wave of colonists, and locked up in one of the town’s Houses of Healing with the other women.

The bond between Todd and Viola is — of course — unbreakable, but both are, to an extent, seduced by the crowds they find themselves associating with. Viola becomes part of The Answer, originally set up as an all-female — and thus silent — combat unit in the Spackle war, now reformed as a a Carhullan Army waging a bombing campaign on New Prentisstown. (It’s interesting to note how completely normal it is, both for the novel and for its characters, that the women fight and can fight; there is no amazement on anyone’s part, not even any pointed remarks. The Mayor’s misogyny is not grounded in thinking women weak, in other words; nor does it seem to be grounded in wanting to control their bodies. It seems, instead, to be grounded in the fact that, without Noise, he cannot control them.) Todd, on the other hand, finds himself trying to rationalise the actions his new position forces him into — better he’s the one to implement the latest restriction on Spackle freedom, because at least he cares a little — all the while being shaped by the Mayor’s insistent thoughts, which, he tells us, “hatched right in the middle of my brain, like a worm in an apple” (207). Todd’s sense of self — always fragile, in Noise — starts to deteriorate, and worse, to be consciously repressed.

Even leaving aside the narrative split, The Ask & The Answer is thus a very different book from its predecessor. It’s still told in forthright Nundestruth (Viola’s voice is a bit more Doorsy than Todd’s, but not dramatically so), but a headlong chase is replaced with a slow accumulation of intensity; a tour of New World is replaced with a close focus on New Prentisstown; and an unpeeling of the truth of the world is replaced — other than in a couple of broad hints such as the one noted above — by a concern with the manipulation of truth, how lies become truth in the first place. (The Mayor’s ability to manipulate Noise is, it is clear, an ability to manipulate truth, an ability to make lies true not a million miles from that possessed by Bad King Leck.) It is still, fear not, a quite extraordinarily absorbing story, one of those books you inhale more than read; and though it is (inevitably) a less tidy book than The Knife of Never Letting Go, I think it perhaps more penetrating.

We are the choices we make: nothing more, nothing less. That’s what the Mayor tells Todd in the book’s opening scene, and what Mistress Coyle, head of the Answer, tells Viola somewhat later. Even choices we think we have to make are choices, this book says: rationalizations are just that. And individuals are, in fact, as vulnerable as crowds, if not more so. But this is not to say — despite the insistences of several characters — that there are no right and wrong moves, no black and white to be found in this novel. Todd and Viola’s complicity in the actions of the Mayor and of The Answer is pushed just about as far as it can go; to follow their progress through this book is to watch them make choices, to understand why they make those choices, and yet to know that the choices they make are wrong. The novel insists that what matters is not how you fall down, but how you pick yourself up again; but Viola and to an even greater extent Todd, fall a long way in this book.

The Mayor’s actions are unambiguously black from the get-go, and it becomes increasingly obvious as the novel wears on that Mistress Coyle’s tactics are just as unforgivable. The thing is that they are, both of them, plausible kinds of wrongness, ones that exist, with all their seductive and coercive potency, in our world as much as in that of Chaos Walking. What is hard is not identifying them as wrong, but finding and acting on the right and the good in the face of their existence, and their tendency to grapple each other in violent, escalating feedback loops. This is something Ness gets right that I think the other two books discussed above don’t quite manage. The Mayor is ultimately as cartoonish as Leck, and he’s on screen for a whole lot longer. This seems like a weakness. But in fact his one-dimenstionality matters less, because it’s so clear that he’s merely the visible tip of an iceberg. Leck’s ideas may be insidious, but they’ve got nothing on the prejudices into which the Mayor taps and to which he gives form. By the end of The Ask & The Answer, Todd and Viola have demonstrated that the Mayor can be defeated, but they’re left to face the world the Mayor has wrought: left to face, in other words, the Mayor’s ideology. There’s more than one war that needs to be won in Monsters of Men.

Fallen by Lauren Kate

Book 1 of the Fallen series.

About This Book:

Seventeen year old Luce is sent to a reform school, Sword & Cross, following a terrible tragedy involving her ex-boyfriend Trevor. The details of what happened that night are hazy and Luce is struggling to come to terms with the idea that she might have been responsible.

On her first day at Sword & Cross Luce meets Cam, a good-looking, edgy guy with piercing green eyes and dark hair and she feels strangely attracted to him despite the fact he is not usually her type. However Cam is not the only guy to have attracted her attention. Daniel is captivatingly handsome, almost too perfect, Luce feels instantly drawn to him, as if she already knows him, but she would never forget someone who looked like that, would she?

An epic battle between Heaven and Hell, with echoes of Paradise Lost, Fallen is a story of a love doomed to fail over and over again.

Source:

Cherry’s Rating:

3 out of 5 cherries

Genre:

YA, urban fantasy, chicklit

My Take On This Book:

The story telling quality is good but not that compelling. I give it a 4 out of 5. The story itself is quite insubstantial in my opinion. A young girl running around in school with her guilt, insecurity and boys. And that’s it! I think that earned a 2 out of 5. The book ends with a cliffhanger which is never good in my book. Though it kind of closes the story, it is also a beginning of the next book. I give it another 2 out of 5. However it made the second book in the series look like a very good read indeed. And I wouldn’t presume to judge the entire series by this book alone. In my experience, the first book in a series is usually not the best one. Take the Black Dagger Brotherhood (BDB) and the Dark Hunter (DH) series(es) for example, both Dark Lover (BDB) and Fantasy Lover (DH) are mediocre books. The best aspect of both books is that they are the start of a very good series. So hopefully this series would be one of them good ones. I look forward to the next book, Torment. Overall, I rate this book a 3 out of 5.

Buy Link:

Fallen

A very different take on the Cinderella story.  Mixing fairy magic with evil stepmothers and King’s huntresses makes for a very interesting telling.  Though not as gripping as some other retellings I read, it brings an interesting perspective to the tale and combines some GLBT sensibilities into the mix.  Intriguing enough to finish, but not necessarily something I would great again.

I thought “New Moon” was great. I liked it much more than the first movie. It seems everyone thought it would do well opening weekend, but no one expected it to do this well. It broke all kinds of records.

The big story in publishing last week was Harlequin announcing it was launching a self-publishing side. Many authors and organizations (including RWA) are not too happy about it.

I have no problem with self-publishing provided that (1) the author has a platform—a sure way to sell the books, and (2) the author really, really, truly understands what he/she is getting into. The majority of the time, an author doesn’t meet both those criteria and things end up going a way they didn’t expect.

Times have been changing, especially with the economy and the Internet, so I think we need to know that these publishing companies are going to be changing as well. We can fight against it all we want (and we should to an extent), but it will still change. As for the companies, I feel they would be better off doing separate names, websites, etc… This would probably help the authors, editors, and the rest of the publishing community not get so upset. I think I did hear that Harlequin was considering changing the name of the new self-publishing imprint.

Book Reviews

“Story of a Girl” by Sara Zarr
2008
Little, Brown

I’m sorry to say that I have just now read my first Sara Zarr book. I have wanted to for awhile. “Story of a Girl” is a poignant tale of a girl who gets caught (by her dad!) having sex with an older guy when she was thirteen. Now, a few years later, she struggles through the pain and those who won’t forgive her (and the fact that she can’t forgive herself). A very fast read with a complex character. I look forward to reading more of Zarr’s books.

“When You Reach Me” by Rebecca Stead
2009
Random House

I hardly ever read Middle Grade. Actually, come to think of it, I never read MG. But I had heard good things about this one, so I thought I’d check it out. The story takes place in the 70s, and shows a girl dealing with her game show obsessed mom and the loss of her best friend. Along the way strange things are happening, and she starts getting notes from someone. I really enjoyed the mystery in this. It kept the pages turning for me. Compelling book with some good character development and interactions. I can’t tell much about it without giving the plot away. It’s gotten great reviews, and I suspect it will do well.

I Just Think She’s Great.

Evidence From SNL A Few Years Back :

That is all.

Strange and menacing shadows have haunted seventeen-year-old Luce since she was young, slinking around corners and circling overhead whenever she was near forests, water, dark places. But they never issued a tangible threat until one fateful night involving the mysterious fire and suspicious death of her boyfriend. Luce was there but can’t remember anything from that night – at least, not anything the police would believe – and after a summer full of hate mail and death threats, Luce’s parents pack her off to Sword & Cross reform school.

There, Luce is instantly drawn to Daniel, a fellow student, with the strange but persistent feeling that she knows him from somewhere. But Luce can’t figure out if Daniel, one minute flipping her off and the next asking her to ditch school for a swim in the lake together, hates her or likes her. Luce also catches the eye of the charming and generous Cam and finds herself caught in a bizarre love triangle. Meanwhile, the shadows are growing more frightening and bold than ever before, and Luce begins seeing strange things when she’s with Daniel – glowing violet lights, lake water shimmering around the outline of wings. . .

Luce and her newfound friend Penn begin to search the school records and library to discover more about Daniel’s past, which is inextricably wrapped up in Luce’s own. What Luce finds out, little by little, will change her life – and the world.

Romance, myth, betrayal, danger, a battle between good and evil. . . when the book ends, readers, like Luce, have just glimpsed the surface of the mystery. Readers will likely figure out a key secret a step or two before Luce, but are still left with a satisfactory amount of unsolved questions at the end, anticipating the next book in the series, Torment (Sept. 2010).

Twilight fans will love the forbidden love, supernatural beings, and beautiful and tormented men of Fallen. Fallen’s love story isn’t as charged as Twilight’s, which fans might miss, but for which I am thankful (yes, Daniel and Cam are both handsome, but we don’t have to hear Luce swooning over their perfect bodies, golden eyes, stone cold muscles and dazzling smiles every other sentence). There’s something here for non-Twilight fans as well, who will appreciate Luce, a stronger character than Bella, who begins with a compelling history that only gets better, swims better than any guy, is smart, and cares deeply for her female friends.

And, of course, adult lovers of YA will find something to enjoy as well (the only thing I didn’t like was the high school’s 30-page and 15-page paper assignments. Really? That’s what you do in grad school). It’s a quick and entertaining read that leaves you with an interesting plot to mull over until the next book comes out. This should be a good one for the message boards.

♦Full disclosure: I requested and received an Advance Review Copy of Fallen from Delacorte Press

Expect to see increased interest in Alex Flinn’s YA novel Beastly, a retelling of beauty and the beast.  I heard that they are showing this teaser trailer before New Moon.  If you have a copy of Beastly on the shelf, why not display it or add it to a Twilight display?

Witch & Wizard  by James Patterson

About This Book:

Caption From The Cover Sleeve:
Your books, music and art – banned by the New Order.

You are holding an urgent and vital narrative that reveals the forbidden truth about these perilous times.

This is the astonishing testimonial of Whit and Wisty Allgood, brother and sister who were torn from their family in the middle of the night, slammed into prison, and accused of being a witch and wizard.

They are not alone in their terrifying predicament. Thousands of young people have been kidnapped; some have been accused; many others remain missing. Their fate is unknown, and the worst is feared – for the ruling regime will stop at nothing to suppress life and liberty, music and books, art and magic … and the pursuit of being a normal teenager.

Most copies of this story have already been seized, shredded, or burned. Read this rare surviving edition and pass it along with care – before it’s too late.

Cherry’s Rating: 1 out of 5 cherries

Genre: YA fantasy

Verdict: Insubstantial + cliffhanger ending.

My Take On This Book:

My Rating:
Title: Kira-Kira
Author: Cynthia Kadohata
Genre and Classification: Young Adult/Teen Fiction
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers/Simon & Schuster
Pages: 244
Publication Year: 2004

Book Description: kira-kira (kee’ra kee’ra): glittering shining. Glittering. That’s how Katie Takeshima’s sister, Lynn, makes everything seem. The sky is kira-kira because its color is deep but see-through at the same time. The sea is kira-kira for the same reason. And so are people’s eyes. When Katie and her family move from a Japanese community in Iowa to the Deep South of Georgia, it’s Lynn who explains to her why people stop them on the street to stare. And it’s Lynn who, with her special way of viewing the world, teaches Katie to look beyond tomorrow. But when Lynn becomes desperately ill, and the whole family begins to fall apart, it is up to Katie to find a way to remind them all that there is always something glittering—kira-kira—in the future. (from the book jacket)

What led you to pick up this book? I have heard of this Newbery Medal book and when I saw this at a used books shop some months ago, I just went ahead and grabbed it to see if this award-winning book is all that.

What did you like most about the book? I loved its simplicity. I love how the story wasn’t trite or overdone. I love how this book had several shining moments—my favorite was the part where Katie and Lynn had different views of how the cornfield and the dog incident happened.

There were two other moments that I liked in Kira-Kira: one was when Katie had to give a speech and it didn’t turn out the way she wanted it to go. I thought that was a good, realistic scene. Having her give a perfect speech at that time would have been too sappy and contrived. And the part when Katie starts school and she learns that to write a good book report you have to find out about its theme—I like that this particular point in the story isn’t lost on the ending when Cynthia Kadohata ties everything together with ‘themes’.

What did you think of the writing style? I love the simplicity of Katie’s voice. Of course, that’s what one would expect from a 12-year old narrator. But Cynthia Kadohata does it in a way that I think will hold a younger reader’s interest while will still appeal to the more adult audience.

What did you think of the characters? The characters are very real. Flawed, but real. Lynn, the big sister, may be the light in Katie’s eyes, but I liked how the author didn’t turn her into this perfect, polished person. I like that I saw not just Lynn’s but everyone else’s weaknesses which turned them into more interesting, believable characters.

What did you think of the ending? Kira-Kira is filled with humor and sadness. I already knew something big was going to happen when I started reading this book. But this is the kind of book in which the journey is much more important than the destination.

Which of your readers are most likely to enjoy this book? Everyone who loves YA will love this book. It’s a quick read and can be finished in a few hours. Anyone with a sister who they cherish will definitely relate to Katie and Lynn.

Random thoughts: There is a lot more that this book touches upon, not just sisterly love. It also touches on racial prejudice, poverty, and illness. While this isn’t the lightest of reads, I don’t think it’s a depressing book. I think exposing this kind of story to young adults will give them something to think about.

Share a quote from the book:

My uncle was exactly one inch taller than my father. But his stomach was soft. We knew this because we hit him in it once before, and he yelped in pain and threatened to spank us. We got sent to bed without supper because my parents said hitting someone was the worst thing you could do. Stealing was second, and lying was third.

Before I was twelve, I would have committed all three of those crimes.

**********

My Rating:
Title: Kira-Kira
Author: Cynthia Kadohata
Genre and Classification: Young Adult/Teen Fiction
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers/Simon & Schuster
Binding: Hardcover
Pages: 244
Publication Year: 2004
Award/s: Newbery Medal Winner 2005
Ownership Details: from my personal library

by Ally Carter
read November 2009

Paperback Edition
284 Pages
Published by Hyperion
Original Publication date~ May 2006
Genre~ Young Adult Fiction
ISBN 13~ 978 1 423 10004 1
Source~ Purchased 2nd hand
Rating~

from the back cover:

Cammie Morgan is a student at the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women, a fairly typical all-girls school- typical, that is, if every school taught advanced martial arts in PE and the latest in chemical warfare in science, and students received extra credit for breaking CIA codes in computer class.  The Gallagher Academy might claim to be a school for geniuses, but it’s really a school for spies.

Even though Cammie is fluent in fourteen languages and capable of killing a man several different ways with her bare hands, she has no idea what to do when she meets an ordinary boy who thinks she is an ordinary girl.  Sure, she can tap his phone, hack into his computer, or track him through town with the skill of a real “pavement artist”- but can she maneuver a relationship with someone who can never know the truth about her?

The story has been told many times before; boy and girl meet, one of them lies to the other about themselves, the other finds out, it ends in crying.  “I don’t know who you really are!”  The idea is not new, but the details are.  Cammie is your average spy-in-training, if such a thing exists.  She meets Josh and can’t tell him about who she is and what she does, so she does what any sensible girl would do, she lies.  ~sigh~ don’t these people read?!?!  You ALWAYS get found out!  

Overall, the writing was on the juvenile side, however, I feel that is the target audience.  It is directed at young teens and preteens.   The topic of two sub-genre’s in the Young Adult genre has been more and more frequent.  This would be one of those books that would be on the younger level.  Don’t mistake this for me not liking the book, I really did.  It was a good change from vampires!  It was a good, fun, clean read, but it might not meet the expectations of someone looking for something a bit more edgy.

I read that Disney has bought the rights to this movie for projected release in 2012.  I think it would be a very cute movie.  I can see my daughter LOVING it.  The next books in the series are, Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy and Don’t Judge a Girl by Her Cover.

~Jenn

*photos from www.allycarter.com

P.s. I totally forgot to mention that the story takes plkace in Roseville, Virginia….and I am amused because I grew up in, and live 5 minutes from, Roseville, California.  It’s just not a very common town name.  Ahhhh…the little things that amuse me!